


Back Home

by thejokeristhethief



Series: So This Is Home [14]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Alternate Universe - Domestic, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Belonging, Final Exam Stress, Mental Health Issues Mentioned, Multi, Past Child Abuse, Potentially Suicidal Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-08
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-04-08 06:36:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4294473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thejokeristhethief/pseuds/thejokeristhethief
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With papers to write and the stress of final exams hanging over his head, Wash has a minor breakdown, disappearing with only a worrisome phone message to York. However, with the help of two ten year old's and a misadventure during a sleepover, he finally comes to realize a few things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back Home

_“Hey babe. Call me back when you get this. That message you left was a little ambiguous and it left me kind of worried.”_

_“Pick up the phone love, we’re worried about you. York said you left him a funny message earlier today and I just want to make sure you’re alright. If this is about the Theta thing, nobody blames you Wash. Theta’s fine and he misses you. Alright, well it doesn’t seem like you are going to answer. Come home soon OK?”_

_“Wash, North called. He said you’ve been acting strange and leaving weird messages on York’s voicemail. Are you doing OK? I know finals get stressful for you, but remember you have us to help. Look… just don’t do anything stupid until you talk to me alright? There are a lot of people that love you, idiot. Don’t waste that.”_

_“Answer your damn phone Washington. Connie is losing her shit and my brother won’t fucking sleep. I swear to god if you make my nephew cry again I’m going to hunt you down and tear what’s left of you into unrecognizable pieces. You better be alive still, fuckstick.”_

_“Wash, it’s ‘Lina. I don’t know what is going on with you but don’t worry. I’m coming to find you. Everything is going to be fine, OK? We can work this out. If you feel like making it a little bit easier on us though, you could always pick up the phone. At the very least, it’d calm York down. He’s going a little crazy.”_

_“I’m sorry Wash! I didn’t mean to scare you or get you in trouble. Please come home. I miss you. Dad is sad and York is being scary. I promise I’ll be better behaved if you come home. I won’t even jump on you when you’re reading anymore. Please come back…”_

_“It’s been three days, Wash. Connie said to give you some time because you get weird around finals week and I’m trying really hard. But I need you right now. And North needs you too. Can you just text us or something. Anything to let us know that you are OK. We need to know you aren’t dead in a ditch somewhere.”_

The last voicemail message cuts through the air of the cheap motel room as its occupant slumps down in the ratty arm chair. Books and pages of notes are spread across the bed, the floor, and the crappy piece of chipboard masquerading as a desk. The cursor flashes on an open document, the page count at the bottom reading 26. The man in the chair sighs, hitting the end call button. His fingers hesitate briefly over the contacts button before he turns the screen off and shuffles the phone under some papers. Tired fingers return to the keyboard, striking keys with practiced efficiency as he rounds off the final point in his argument.

He’s surprised to find his hand twitching towards the phone instead of reaching out to cross the paper off his to-do list. His mind supplies him with the argument that he only has two essays left and his notes are so extensive on them that they’re already practically written. And, like York said in his last message, it’s been three days since he left York that first message before turning off his phone and disappearing. They are worried about him, after all.

Argument settled in his head, he scoops up the phone, unlocking it with nervous and fumbling fingers. Opening up his contacts, he scrolls through the list until he finds York’s name. Once selected, his finger hovers between the message icon and the phone icon. Sending a text would be a lot simpler and less time consuming but he finds himself really wanting to hear his lover’s voice. He hesitates a moment longer, knowing that if he presses the call button that he’ll probably receive a major lecture after York and North ensure that he’s alright. That extra moment of hesitation turns out to be costly, as a knock on the door interrupts him.

Frowning at the clock, he sets the phone back on the table, trading it for his wallet. The take out he ordered is a few minutes earlier than expected. Picking his way carefully through the stacks of books and notes spread out on the floor, he manages to make it safely to the door without disturbing anything. A quick look through the peephole shows a man holding a paper bag with a Chinese dragon on it. Slipping off the chain, he unlocks the door, finishing out a $20 bill and exchanging it for the bag with a word of thanks. The smell of wonton soup and ginger chicken wafts through the room as he makes his way back to the desk.

He clicks save on his document twice, just to be safe, before closing the lid of his laptop and setting it on top of the psychology textbook he was using for his last paper. Collecting the notes spread out in front of him into a neat stack, he sets them to the side as well before opening up his dinner. Pulling the top off of the wonton soup, he scoops one up and shovels it into his mouth. The smell of food has suddenly made him realize just how ravenous he feels. While he’s chewing, he opens the box of ginger chicken, selecting a piece with his chopsticks. The chicken almost reaches his mouth when the chorus of Uptown Funk blares out into the room, startling him. Only his great reflexes save the delectable bite of food from hitting the carpet, instead he safely catches it in the box before grabbing his phone.

York’s face grins up at him from the screen and he briefly considers not answering it in favour of eating his food before it gets cold. Before he can select ignore, however, his brain helpfully supplies him with the fact that barely five minutes ago he was aching to hear York’s voice. Steeling his nerves he swipes the green phone icon towards the center of the screen before shoving the phone to his ear. “Hello.”

“Wash! Oh thank fuck. You’re alive. You answered.” York sounds relieved and exhausted, causing his heart to twinge in regret. “Babe where are you? We are so worried. Are you OK? Do you need help?”

“No.” He sighs, guilt coating every word that rolls off his tongue. “No I don’t need any help. I’m… I’m fine York. I just needed some space to get some work done. I’m holed up in a crappy motel and I’m going to be here for a few more days. I can’t work at home; too many distractions.”

“Oh…” Hurt adds itself to the emotions he can pick out in York’s voice. It’s quickly followed by anger. “And you didn’t think to tell us that? Jesus Wash, how hard is it to pick up the phone. Or at least text us. Do you know how fucking worried we’ve been about you? Connie listened to that message you left me and even she couldn’t say for sure that it wasn’t a suicide note. The only thing that stopped us from filing a police report was the fact that ‘Lina said they wouldn’t do anything for 48 hours and she didn’t think you were selfish enough to do anything like that anyway... No North don’t tell me to calm down. I’m talking to him right now, you can wait. Hey! That’s not…”

“Hey love.” North’s voice is much calmer than York’s, managing to block out the angry jabbering in the background. However, he can still detect a slight dash of annoyance and cold fury in it. “I’m not going to pretend I’m not disappointed that you didn’t tell us you were taking off for a while. And I definitely don’t understand how you could just up and abandon your family like that, I do get what it’s like to need space. Just remember, the longer you choose to stay away, the tougher the conversation is going to be when you get back. As you can tell, York isn’t very happy with you. And neither am I. Not only did you have us worried sick, but you also have Theta thinking it’s his fault. That isn’t acceptable Wash. You better come up with a damn good apology or you might not have a family to come home to.”

He can hear York’s admonishment towards North in the silence that follows. “North! Don’t say that to him. What if he doesn’t come home because you tell him he isn’t allowed to?”

“You don’t really mean that, do you?” He asks timidly. “Because I am sorry I worried you. I’m not sorry that I left, but I’m sorry I did without telling you first. I love you, North. And I love York and Theta. I love you all more than anything. If you tell me I have to come home or I’ll lose you then I’ll be home in an hour. But I only have two papers left and I need this North.”

“No.” North sighs. There is a lull in the conversation that he starts to fill several times before falling silent again. The awkward silence between them is painful in a way that silence has never been. That isn’t the way they work. After a few minutes North breaks it himself. “No Wash, I’d never stop you from coming home. And I’m not going to lay down that ultimatum for you. But could you please call Theta so he knows it isn’t his fault. He’d like to hear from you. And please don’t hurt him any more than you already have. I love you.”

York’s voice echoes over the phone before he can answer. “Love you Wash. Come home soon so I can yell at you some more. Makeup sex is always fun.”

North’s startled chuckle matches his own when he replies. “Love you both too. I promise I’ll be home soon and you can bitch me out as much as you want. Bye guys.”

The only answer to his farewell is silence; the call already ended on the other phone. He turns back to his dinner, eating his barely warm soup and ginger chicken quickly as he formulates the conversation he’s about to have with Theta. He’s grown close with North’s ten year old over the last two years of them dating and the idea of Theta blaming himself for his disappearance is painful. He gets where the kid could come up with that though. The day before he left they had gone to the skatepark and Theta took off with some friends. North’s kid was missing for four hours and he had been the adult that lost him. It was a pretty awful feeling, having a kid disappear on you like that, and North reamed them both out pretty hard. But that one hundred percent had nothing to do with the reason he decided to take off for a few days. No, that decision came at 11:30 when York vaulted over the back of the couch, disturbing his meticulously organized notes before chatting nonstop for the next two hours until he gave up on his essay and followed York to bed. He slept exceptionally bad that night, waking up at 4:30, only three hours later. The few hours before anyone else was awake were the most productive he’d had all week, and by the time York was up he’d already made the decision that space was exactly what he needed.

If he’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t even remember the message he left on York’s phone that has started all this panic. At the time he was so exhausted that the only thing driving him was caffeine and his own stubborn attitude. He imagines that probably didn’t help reassure them of his safety either. After all, if his message made Connie unsure of his mental state then he probably sounded pretty wrecked. Swallowing the last piece of chicken, he unlocked his phone and selected Theta from his contacts, hitting the call button without hesitation. Tapping his fingers impatiently against the desk, he waited for the kid to answer the phone. Instead it rang through to voicemail and he sighed as he listened to the recorded message, launching into an apology as soon as the beep ended.

“Hey T. I wanted to let you know I’m OK. I’m sorry for scaring you and I promise I’ll be home soon. It isn’t your fault I left kiddo. It’s important for you to know that. I just couldn’t get any of my homework done with so many distractions. I miss you too, Theta. And I love you. Call me back if you want. I promise I’ll answer this time.”

Setting his phone to the side, he sweeps the food containers into the trash. Swapping out the Human Sexuality textbook and notes for his Mental Health and Crime criminology class material, he opens a new document and sets out to explain the reasons behind increased violence and crime rates within the population of those with mental illnesses. He becomes so engrossed in forming his argument, citing _Violence and Mental Illness: an overview_ by Heather Stuart to explain the public stigma against the mentally unwell and argue that substance abusers are more likely to commit violent crimes, that he doesn’t even realize that the room has grown dark until he tries to locate his notes on a separate article. Frowning, he glances down at the clock on his computer. It reads half past midnight, which means that he’s already been working on this paper for six hours. A quick examination of the word count informs him that he’s already at 4000, almost two thirds of the way through this paper. The immense feeling of thankfulness for his well organized notes and outlines almost overwhelms him at that moment. Maybe he’ll be able to get back sooner than he planned.

Flicking on the lamp, he collects his keys and wallet. If he’s going to get this paper finished tonight then he is going to need some supplies. Specifically a few Monster energy drinks and some junk food. Pocketing his phone, he leaves the motel room, climbing into his truck. The engine revs to life as he backs out of the parking lot. The drive is quiet on the way to the 7-11 down the road and he collects his goods without much hassle. It isn’t until the trip back that his phone rings, playing the Transformers Prime theme song. He fumbles it out of his pocket to stare at it in shock. It’s a few minutes before one AM, why is Theta calling him so late? The tone fades before blasting into existence again. He quickly swipes the screen to answer it before it can stop ringing.

“Theta? What’s going on, kiddo. It’s a little past your bedtime, isn’t it?” He asks carefully, aware of just how sensitive Theta can be when he thinks he might be in trouble. He can’t blame the kid for that, but if he ever gets his hands on Theta’s stepfather there won’t be enough left of him to raise a finger in violence.

There is a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line before Theta’s voice tumbles through in a panic. “Wash, I did something bad. I need help. Can you come get me please? I don’t want dad or York to come because they’ll freak out. Please Wash.”

Pulling over to the side of the road, he pushes a soothing note into his voice. “OK, T. Calm down. Tell me where I’m going. I can’t pick you up until you tell me where to go.”

“Do you know where the abandoned laboratories that Dr. Church used to work in are?” The nervousness of the reply does nothing to settle his own nerves. “Yeah, they aren’t so abandoned, Wash. Some scary people chased us and now we are stuck hiding in the stupid tool shed.”

“Theta… Who is we?” He pulls a u-turn, heading across town towards the industrial area. He hits the speaker button on the phone, placing it gently on the dash. “Speak loud kiddo, you’re on speaker while I drive. Who else am I picking up. And where does your dad think you are?”

“It’s just me and Junior. The older boys ditched us when the crazy people started chasing us. We were sleeping over at Gary’s house for his birthday, he doesn’t live that far from here.” Theta explains quietly, sounding ashamed. “It sounded fun and everyone else was doing it. They told us we’d be losers and babies if we didn’t come. O’Malley says they don’t hang out with babies. I’m really sorry Wash. But it’s really creepy, so can you please hurry?”

“I’ll be there in ten minutes. Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until I get there?” He tightens his grip on the steering wheel, foot pressing the gas pedal down until the truck is accelerating passed the speed limit.

“Yeah. It’d make us feel better, right Junior?” He can hear a whimpered confirmation for the other boy in the background before Theta’s voice returns. “Hey Wash? Thank you.”

“No problem kiddo. But you know you’re going to have to tell your dad what happened. Junior’s dad too.” Flipping on his turn single, he takes a left onto a street of rundown warehouses and dilapidated fences. The lab that Dr. Church worked in before he became a leading professor at the University is located at the very back corner of this area and he finds it hard to believe that Theta’s friend actually lives nearby. But the kid has never lied to him before, just like he would never lie to Theta. “Alright kiddo, I’m almost there. You said you were in a tool shed?”

“Do we really have to tell my dad.” Theta’s voice is so quiet that he can barely make out his words. “I don’t want him to yell at me.”

“I’m sure we have to tell him. We try not to lie to the people we love, remember?” He makes his tone strict as he recites the first rule of their interesting family. It’s a rule that both him and Theta have taken very seriously in the past. The fact that the kid is even considering lying to his dad is completely out of character. “How about I tell your dad what happened instead? Tell me where you are and then we can go tell him together.”

“What? No! I want to go back to the party.” The shock in his voice suggests that he honestly thought he’d pick him up and drop him back off at the Gary kid’s birthday party. “Wash, dad and York are probably doing icky date night stuff. And Mr. Tucker isn’t even home. Can you please take us back to the party?”

“Nope. But I can phone Tucker and your dad and if they don’t answer we can leave them a message and you guys can come back to the motel with me. I have some more homework to do and the two of you are in pretty big trouble.” He pulls the truck around to the front of the building, parking it carefully. He takes the phone off speaker, tucking it against his ear as he wiggles the key out of the ignition. Slipping out, he locks the doors to be safe, eyeing the dangerously tilting shed. “I’m here. Do you want to come out or do I need to come in and get you?”

“You need to come and get us. The door is kind of stuck.” Theta sounds like he’s pouting. Hardening his resolve, he prepares himself to be confronted by a wave of blonde adorableness. Theta’s pouts are hard to ignore. He stares down a homeless man that is watching him with wariness as he approaches the shed.

“I’m outside now so I’m going to hang up, OK?” He can hear himself echo through the shed with that question before the line goes dead. Stashing the phone in his pocket, he knocks on the door. “Hey T. I need you and Junior to move over to the right side of the shed when you’re facing the door and as close to the front as possible OK? If I have to kick the door down I don’t want to hit either of you or have the building come down, so that’s the safest place.”

There is some scrabbling inside the falling down building and then Theta’s reply rings out. “OK. We’re as close as we can get now. Uhh try not to kill us please, Wash.”

“Yeah I’m already in enough trouble with your dad, kiddo. I’m sure getting you hurt would probably make it worse. I’m gonna push the door in now so stay clear.” Pressing both palms flat against the door, he applies some pressure to test the stability of the building. The shed wobbles and creaks a little, but overall seems sturdy enough for the door to move. Another round of pushing has the door bending in at the centre, the bottom and sides wedged tightly into the swollen door frame. It occurs to him that the kids must have slammed the door pretty hard to get it this stuck. When it becomes obvious that the force his hands and body weight offer won’t be enough, he sighs, taking a step backward. “Man T. You guys must have really forced this door closed. What did you do? Body check it? I’m going to try kicking it in now, so stay where you are.”

“Yeah we might have slammed against it a couple of times to make it close properly…” Theta sounds sheepish. “Sorry Wash, but they were pretty scary and the door kept creeping open.”

A quick examination of the door frame has him picking out the weakest spot. Backing away a couple feet, he slams his foot against the door, making the entire structure shake. Despite the ominous crack that sounds, the door holds. However, it can’t withstand the second kick he aims at it, and he’s suddenly assaulted by two wide-eyed ten year olds. Junior beats out Theta in the foot race, slamming into him breathlessly. “Thank you Mr. Washington.”

Theta’s hand slips into the hand that he isn’t currently using to hug Tucker’s curly haired offspring. Now that he is actually there, it seems the two boys have decided they no longer have to be brave and they are both trembling. Gently detangling himself, he keeps an arm slung over Juniors shoulder protectively as he guides them back to his truck. Once they are all safely settled into the cab, he fishes out his phone to call both of their fathers. The clock now reads 1:45 so predictably, neither man answers. He leaves them both similar messages before weedling Gary’s address out of Junior. Theta stubbornly keeps his mouth shut, pouting in the passenger seat, even though he knows the punishment his father will dole out later is going to be far worse than being embarrassed in front of his friends.

Pulling up in front of the address Junior supplied, he shuts off the truck before addressing the two boys. “You two are coming with me. I’m going to have a talk with the kid’s parents while you two collect your stuff. I want you ready to go in 5 minutes or else I’ll be taking you both back home and North can deal with you. Understand?”

Theta’s defiant stare wilts under his stern gaze. After all, it isn’t very often he doesn’t give in to what the kid wants. He’s always been a firm believer that experience is the best teacher. Unlike North, who is always focused on what Theta needs, rather than what he wants, or York, who balances out the wants and needs pretty evenly by giving the kid stuff in moderation, he has always given Theta exactly what he wants unless it’s something that North or York has already said no to. Or big things, like adopting a whole litter of kittens; they weren’t impressed with that one. But honestly, if Theta asks him for six chocolate bars, he is going to give him all six. How else is the kid going to learn that eating that much chocolate on an empty stomach before a road trip is going to cause motion sickness? Theta sighs and nods in agreement, chiming in with Junior when he answers. “We understand Wash.”

He has to ring the doorbell twice before a light comes on inside. It takes another press of the button before a woman dressed in a nightgown who appears to be in her mid-forties opens the door. She pauses mid yawn, eyes wide with shock when they land on Theta and Junior. He can feel the two boys squirming underneath the hands he’s placed on each of their shoulders. Her eyes travel up to land on his face, studying him carefully. “Can I help you? Where did you find those two?”

“My name is David Washington. May I come in, ma’am? I believe we have quite a lot to discuss about the activities your child and his friends have been taking part in during their sleepover.” He tries to sound pleasant and diplomatic as she scrutinizes him suspiciously. “Theta and Junior need to go pack their things, regardless of whether you let me in or not. They are have lost their right to attend this sleepover after calling me at 12:30 to come pick them up from the old biotech lab.”

She watches Theta scuff his foot along the ground and Junior squirm on the spot, staring at the ground in shame for a minute before nodding jerkily and opening the door wide in invitation. Theta and Junior dash passed as soon as he lifts his hands off their shoulders, making a break for the living room. He calls after them in warning. “Remember boys, you have 5 minutes.”

He follows the woman into her kitchen, accepting the offered glass of water with a smile before explaining what he knows of the situation to her. She seems mildly surprised, cursing under her breath. “I knew they went to bed too quietly. I’m sorry Mr. Washington, I should have checked on them more often. Thank you for getting those two. It would have been awful to wake up in the morning and discover the two of them missing. I’ll have a chat with Gary about this as soon as you leave. Now, I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but how exactly do you know the two boys?”

“I’m uhh.. well I guess you could say I’m Theta’s step dad.” He rubs the back of his neck self-consciously. He’s always hated explaining his relationship with Theta to people he’s never met before. He pushes on when he notices her eyes narrow. “And I met Tucker in school a few years ago.”

“I see. And do their fathers know you are picking them up?” He winces at her disbelieving tone. In retrospect, claiming to be Theta’s stepfather might not have been the greatest idea. Anyone who knows about Theta’s past wouldn’t let that man anywhere near a child.

“I called and left them both messages, but it’s pretty late so I imagine they are both sleeping.” He prepares to explain himself further, hoping this won’t end up with him in handcuffs, when Theta slips into the kitchen with Junior following close behind. The kid immediately picks up on the tension in the atmosphere, crowding into him closely to use his body as protection. Junior watches curiously, oblivious to the reason his friend seems to be afraid.  
“What’s going on Wash?” Theta asks quietly. “Why does she look so angry? She isn’t going to hit you is she? Can we go now before she does? Please?”

“Yeah, Gary is being mean. I want to leave too.” Junior speaks up from behind them. “Can we go with you? I promise to be quiet while you do your homework. Theta told me I had to be.”

The boys’ desire to leave with him has the lady relaxing somewhat. She focuses her attention on Theta, bending down to look him in the eye and using a voice that feels comforting. “Theta, hun, are you sure you want to go with this man? You don’t have to go with him just because he says you do. He isn’t your father.”

Theta frowns, glancing between his face and hers with confusion. He mumbles with embarrassment when he answers. “But Wash said I wasn’t allowed to stay because we did something we weren’t allowed to do. It’s part of my punishment. And my dad will be even more mad at me if I don’t go home with Wash when he tells me to. I don’t want to get grounded for even longer so I should probably go. But thank you for letting me come over Mrs. Morenstien.”

“Right. Well in that case, you are welcome back anytime. I am sorry that my son has gotten you in trouble. I promise he won’t be getting away with this either.” She straightens up, meeting his gaze head on. “And my apologies to you as well, Mr. Washington. I had to make sure, you understand.”

“Of course, ma’am. No apology necessary.” He nods at her, turning to usher Theta towards the door.

Junior follows, a perplexed look on his face. “I’m allowed to come too, right?”

“Allowed?” He scoffs, eyebrow raised. His voice takes on a quality of incredulity that he reserves for stupid questions like ‘is the earth flat?’ or ‘do you want extra cheese on that.’ Theta grins; that tone of voice usually means that his dad’s boyfriend is about to get squeaky. “I’m afraid you have about as much choice in the matter as Theta actually did, Junior. Your dad is going to be as furious as North is and I am not getting in the way of Tucker’s temper. So yes, you are coming home with me.”

He notes Theta taking the time to glance towards his friend’s mother, as does Junior, so they both follow the blonde child’s lead and do the same. Mrs. Morenstien’s eyebrows have climbed so high that they seem to be lost in her hairline. Trading grins with the two boys, he allows his voice to drop to an exaggerated whisper. “We should probably leave before she calls the cops because she doesn’t believe I’m your parental figure, Theta.”

Theta snorts. “Dad says it’s amusing when you call yourself that because you are only eleven years older than me and have the mental maturity of a paper bag. I’m not really sure what that means, but it sounds funny.”

Junior reaches out to grasp his hand as he continues to banter with Theta, leaving the flabberghasted lady behind in her kitchen. “Pfft, your dad loves me.”

“He does.” Theta agrees, suddenly somber, voice wobbling a bit. “And so does York. And so do I. We were really worried Wash. Please don’t leave us again?”

Junior’s grip tightens at the distress that his friend appears to be in. He squeezes it reassuringly as he replies to Theta. “I know kiddo, and I’m sorry. I promise I won’t take off like that again. Now let’s get going. The sooner I finish my homework, the sooner I can come home.”

The blinding smile he receives for that response makes every minute of the wasted last hour and a half worth it. They all pile back into the truck, with him having to boost the two boys up in their exhaustion. Now that the adrenaline of their misadventure has worn off they are practically asleep where they sit. The drive back to the motel is silent except for the occasional snoring that has him smiling to himself. He really loves Theta, and Junior is a pretty good kid too.

The clock reads 2:25 when he finally pulls back into the parking spot he left almost two hours ago. Slipping the bag of junk food around his wrist, he slides Junior out of the cab, carrying him to the room. He leaves Theta in the truck, leaning against the passenger door. Setting the sleeping child down in the armchair, he quickly clears his notes off the bed, sweeping them up into a messy pile that he’ll have to reorganize later. Luckily they are for a class that he’s already finished writing the paper for. Pulling back the covers, he removes Juniors shoes before slipping him into the bed. That done, he returns to the truck, easing open the passenger side carefully. Slipping his arm into the gap, he gently levers Theta’s head away from the passenger window. Once he’s sure that opening the door isn’t going to cause the kid to spill from the cab, he bodies it open the rest of the way, collecting the blonde kid in his arms. Hitting the auto-lock button, he pushes the door closed, walking around the truck to do the same with the driver’s side. He can’t help letting out a chuckle when he deposits Theta into bed; Junior has snuggled down into the blankets so that the only thing visible is his crown of dark curls, contrasting sharply with the crisp white pillow case. The fondness he feels for these two kids is amazing. Junior spends a lot of time with Theta and himself at the skatepark after school and it almost feels like he could be part of their extended family. He guesses that’s what happens when your kid has a best friend that is so close to him that they act like brothers at times.

He starts a little at that thought. It’s the first time he feels like Theta is truly part of his family, is truly his kid and not just his boyfriend’s child. He’s only been dating North and York for 18 months but he already can’t imagine his life without them. Or Theta. The realization has him torn between running for the hills and driving home to beg for forgiveness at that very moment. Instead he takes a deep breath, cracks open an energy drink and focuses on completing his paper.

It takes him three hours, an entire energy drink and half a bag of Cheetos to finish his criminology assignment. By the time he hits save for the final time, he’s aware that he should probably get some sleep. Instead he opens up another document, gathering the last set of course materials that he needs. The paper he left to last is by far the easiest one he’s had to write this term, coming from an introduction to Anthropology class he took as a choice credit. He quickly plows through the 1500 word essay on human evolution through the use of tools, getting two thirds of the way through it before his phone rings harshly at 7:30 am. A picture of Tucker and Junior pop up on the screen. Hitting the save button, he answers the call, silently making his way out of the room before talking. “Hey Tucker.”

“Wash! What the fuck man? Where are you?” Tucker’s voice is lacking its usual cocky confidence, instead saturated with the type of exhaustion that comes with too much alcohol and not enough sleep. He can’t detect any worry or anger in it, however. “I know you aren’t at home. Do I need to come by and get Junior?”

“I’m holed up in a Motel on the edge of the city, not that far from home. Junior and Theta had quite the adventure last night and required some rescuing. They’re still sleeping right now so I’ll drop him off a little later, OK? We might get pancakes or something first. I only have about an hour’s work left on my final paper and then we’ll head out.” He fills Tucker in with the situation quickly. “Go to bed, you sound exhausted. I’ll explain everything properly when I drop Junior off. You’ve probably got two and half to three hours.”

“Thanks man. I owe you.” Tucker yawns into the phone. “Good luck finishing your paper.”

“Yeah no problem. And thanks.” He replies before ending the call.

He hesitates to head into the room. North won’t be awake this early; he likes to sleep in on the weekends. But York is always awake at 7:30 regardless of the day so maybe he can get this out of the way before going back to his paper. Decision made, he dials his lover’s number.

York answers immediately, sounding slightly out of breath and a tinge worried and accusing. “Wash? Hey. You OK? I thought you were going to be out of touch until you were done.”

“Yeah, that was the plan until Theta blew it out of the water last night. But I’m almost done anyway. Just a few more paragraphs, an hour tops, and then I’ll be coming home. More importantly, so will Theta.” He can’t keep the excitement he feels at almost being done and going home. It’s even harder to contain the amusement he’s started to feel regarding the Theta and Junior situation. “He had a little adventure at his sleepover last night and called me to come rescue him and Junior. Long story short, I took them back to the hotel with me at 2 AM last night. There is a message on North’s phone explaining a little bit, but I think Theta should tell it to you guys himself. As soon as I’m finished my paper I’m going to take the boys out for breakfast and then drop Junior off at home and explain everything to Tucker. If North is awake by 9, the two of you could meet us for breakfast at the IHOP across the street from our favourite Chinese place? Otherwise, I’ll see you guys around 10:30 or 11.”

“Wow, sounds like you had an interesting night.” York’s low whistle pierces his ear uncomfortably. “Look, I don’t think meeting you for breakfast is a good idea. We’re both pretty angry and from the sound of it, North is going to have even more of a reason to be mad. So we’ll just wait for you at home.”

“OK. Well… Last night’s escapades made me realize a few things. We have a lot to talk about when I get home.” He winces at York’s intake of breath. He’s only heard the other man do that when he’s on the edge of panic. When he thinks quickly back to what he just said he winces a second time. “Oh man I worded that wrong. This isn’t the ‘we have to talk because I’m dumping you’ type of situation. It’s the ‘we have to talk because I discovered something life changing’ scenario. I love you way too much for the first type.”

“OK. OK, good. Because you aren’t allowed to break up with us after worrying us so bad.” York mutters with relief. “We’ll see you soon. I’ve got to go before North wakes up and listens to your message. Hurry up and finish your stupid assignment.”

“On it boss.” He mocks, grin evident in his voice. “Love you York.”

“Love you too Wash.” The words are uttered softly before his lover hangs up. Smiling fondly, he reenters the hotel room. The boys are still asleep, Theta’s arm and leg hanging off the bed as he snores, threatening to inhale his pillow with every inhalation. Junior is still barely discernible, burrowed so far into the blankets as he is. He settles back into the chair, finishing off the last paper of his degree with a light heart. Suddenly the future feels incredibly bright.

Theta wakes up 40 minutes later, just as he’s editing the final paragraph for the second time. Junior’s already awake and quietly watching Saturday morning cartoons. He glances over as the kid rolls out of bed with a groan, padding towards the bathroom without saying a word. Theta definitely takes after North when it comes to morning mannerisms, worse in fact. Clicking the save button with a flourish, he closes out the programs on his computer and shuts it down. He probably has another ten minutes to collect his stuff before Theta is finished in the bathroom. Junior watch him curiously for a moment before scrambling off the bed to help, stacking the textbooks on top of each other on the table.

“Thanks Junior. Want to do me a really big favour? Do you think you can take this bag out to the truck for me?” He hands over his laptop bag and truck keys. “Be careful not to drop it though, OK?”

“I got it!” Junior pulls the shoulder strap over his head, letting it settle so that it’s slung across his chest properly. He grins, smile extra bright as it stretches across his dimpled cheeks. “Dad never trusts me enough to carry his computer.”

“Well it is in a padded case, so as long as you don’t throw it around it’ll be OK.” He grins back, unable to resist the enthusiasm displayed on Junior’s face. “Put it on the floor in the back seat.”

“OK!” Shoes are pulled on quickly before the kid scurries out the door.

Shuffling his notes into their proper course binders, he crams them into his backpack before slipping the textbooks into a cloth grocery bag. Theta stumbles out the bathroom just in time to be informed that they are going to IHOP for breakfast. The reaction is almost immediate, Theta moving quickly towards the bed for his shoes. They rarely go to IHOP when North is with them; too many unhealthy choices. He smiles to himself again, hefting his bags over Junior’s head and into the back seat. Tucker’s kid seems to have an obsession with the middle seat. Theta climbs into the passenger’s side a moment later.

“I just have to check out guys. I’ll only be a minute.” He heads into the office, handing the key into the desk lady with a smile. A faint blush spreads across her cheeks, making his smile wider. Apparently being taken doesn’t mean he’s lost his game. “I’d like to check out please. David Washington, room 106.”

“OK Mr. Washington.” She takes a few seconds to look something up on the computer. “It looks like you are all paid up, so you’re good to go. I hope you had a nice stay with us. Please come stay with us again. See you soon, I hope.”

The last line was definitely flirting, and he can’t stop the chuckle from leaving his lips. “Sorry sweetie, I’m already taken. But thank you for your hospitality.”

He notes the disappointment in her eyes as he turns to exit the lobby. Being flirted with always makes him feel better. His boyfriends are on the receiving end of flirting constantly, especially York, and it makes him feel rather self-conscious at times. North says that it happens to him as well and that he’s just too blind to see it. York insists that is a good thing because it means he’s blinded by his love for them. York’s always been a bit of a romantic. He finds it immensely amusing that even though a cute girl just flirted with him, his mind still finds its way back to the two people he’s dating. Guess that’s how he can tell he’s really in love.

Returning to his vehicle, he drives the boys to breakfast. The meal goes smoothly, even when he insists that there be some sort of fruit on each kids plate. Theta gets pancakes with a massive amount of whipped cream and strawberries, while Junior orders the chocolate and banana ones. He sticks with his regular banana pancakes topped with peanut butter and syrup. As usual, Theta bugs him about how disgusting it looks until he gives in and cuts the kid off a piece. Theta shoves it messily into his mouth with a grin, smearing peanut butter across his cheek. Both he and Junior laugh until Theta scowls at them, wiping his face off with the napkin. Downing his last cup of coffee, he pays the bill.

Dropping off Junior goes a lot less smoother than breakfast. Tucker, a lot less sleep deprived, listens to the story with growing anger. When it’s over, the man quietly thanks him, before ushering them out the door. The yelling starts before the door can even fully close. Theta cringes, looking at him. He offers the kid a reassuring smile.

“Don’t worry, T. I’ll let them yell at me first, OK?” The smile he gets in return is weak. “You know your dad would never hurt anyone unless they were hurting someone he loves, right? Not on purpose anyway. And if they yell at me first then your dad will wear himself down enough that he probably won’t have the energy to yell as much and you can tell him your side of things without worrying too much.”

“Thanks Wash.” Theta tugs on his arm, stopping him before pulling him into a tight hug. “You’re one of my best friends, you know that?”

His heart melts as he wraps his arms around Theta. “And you are one of mine, kiddo. Now let’s go face the music.”

They drive home in silence, both worried about how they’re going to be received. When they round the last corner, Theta gulps, reaching over to squeeze his hand. The kid tightens his grip when they pull to a stop in front of their house. His voice trembles. “Wash… Do you think we can just stay here for a moment. I’m not ready yet.”

“Nah Theta. They’ve probably been watching for us. We shouldn’t make them wait any longer.” His own voice is calm, not betraying the nerves he feels. “But I’ll tell you what, when you get into the house give your dad a hug and then go straight to your room. Don’t come out until your dad comes to get you. Deal?”

“OK.” They both slip out of the the truck at the sametime, locking it behind them. Theta steps through the door first, following his instructions carefully. The kid envelopes his dad in a quick hug before fleeing into his room, not allowing the man enough time to react. That leaves both of the men standing in the living room to focus their full attention on him

When David Washington steps through that door his heart beats faster. And when he gets swept up in two strong pairs of arms, it stops beating altogether for a moment. There is an aching feeling in his chest that hasn’t been there since he was 15 and his mom hadn’t yet been admitted into the psychiatric ward of the hospital. Home, his heart sings. Home, his brain supplies. It doesn’t even matter that he knows he is going to get the tongue lashing of his life, because this is definitely where he belongs.

‘ _So, this is what it feels like._ ’ he thinks. ‘ _So this is home._ ’

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the final piece of this series. This is where it ends. But it isn't the last thing I'll be writing for it, if that makes any sense. I just feel like this is the perfect end and now I get to work on filling out the pieces in between.


End file.
